peacock

Reading level: hard

Estimated CEFR level: C1 — Advanced

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun European butterfly having reddish-brown wings each marked with a purple eyespot
  2. noun male peafowl; having a crested head and very large fanlike tail marked with iridescent eyes or spots

Etymology

From Middle English pecok, pekok, pocok, pacok, first component from Old English pēa, pāwa (“peacock, peafowl”), ultimately from Latin pāvō; equivalent to pea + cock. Compare Old Norse páfugl (“peacock”, literally “peafowl”), and English peahen, peachick, etc.

In classic literature

Synonyms

peacock butterfly, Inachis io

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